Disclaimer: Harry Potter and related products are the property of J.K Rowling. I do not, repeat not, have Teddy Lupin imprisoned in the cupboard under my stairs
Author's Note: Well, I think Vic has had a large injection of Delacour here.
I do not speak any French. The little snippets of French come from babelfish. If there are mistakes I would really appreciate having them pointed out so I can correct them. Please review!
King's Cross Station.
1- First year
"Are you sure you've remembered everything Teddy?"
Andromeda Tonks frowned as she looked down at her grandson, lines between her dark eyes and pushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear. Teddy groaned in exasperation. "Yes Grandma I'm sure. I checked my trunk three times before we left."
"Well dear, I hope you haven't forgotten your potions ingredients, because really I don't think lacewings would survive the post."
"I haven't Grandma."
Teddy Lupin and his grandmother were standing in the middle of Platform nine and three quarters of King's Cross Station. All around them was a bustle of cheerful noise- families bidding farewell to each other for another year, friends greeting each other after the holiday, all mingled with the hoots of owls and the shrieks of cats. Teddy's own owl Miranda, a magnificent tawny with rich golden plumage stood in a cage on top of his battered black trunk which was bound together with thick cord. She surveyed the scene with a withdrawn curiosity out her huge yellow eyes. Teddy was immensely proud of her and she had been a birthday gift from his godfather only a few months before.
" Teddy, you've got cereal on your T-Shirt, I wish you could be a bit neater," his grandmother sighed, pulling him towards her and brushing at his clothes vigorously. Teddy wriggled strenuously "Get off Grandma" he protested, pulling away from her. In so doing he tripped over his trunk landing painfully on the floor and sending Miranda's cage flying. The owl let out a scream out outrage
"Ow," Teddy groaned, rubbing his elbows and knees.
Andromeda clicked her teeth in annoyance, and moved to help Teddy up "You're just as clumsy as-" but she cut herself off before completing the sentence a momentary expression of pain clouding her face like a shadow. Then her face smoothed over and she smiled at Teddy as his picked up Miranda's cage.
"You will write to be often wont you dearest?" she said gently.
"Yeah, course I will," Teddy muttered blushing, a rush of affection for his Grandmother welling up inside him. She pulled him into a tight hug, ruffling his hair.
"Be good Teddy. Don't go near the forbidden forest, do as your teachers tell you and work hard."
"I promise Grandma," Teddy said, crossing his fingers surreptitiously behind his back. The stories his godfather had told him about the Forbidden Forest were too tempting, he intended to explore it as soon as possible.
The scarlet steam engine let out a high pitched whistle. "Gracious!" Andromeda exclaimed "You must get on board at once."
Rushing towards the nearest empty compartment Teddy and his grandmother heaved, shoved and prodded his trunk on board, and Teddy found a place for Miranda on one of the luggage racks. Then he lent out of the window to say goodbye. To his Surprise his grandmother was rummaging in her brown leather handbag. Finally she pulled out a letter; battered ands yellowed with age and passed it to him through the window.
"What's this?" Teddy asked curiously.
"Read it on the train," his grandmother replied with an oddly sad smile. Teddy nodded and put the letter in the pocket of his jeans
"Goodbye Teddy, have a wonderful time," Andromeda said, leaning in the give Teddy a kiss on the cheek.
"Bye Grandma, love you lots," he replied
"Love you too my darling."
Once the train had pulled out of the station with a great complaining at being forced to make such a gargantuan effort Teddy settled down in one of the Lumpy orange seats to read the letter. He could tell it was years old, and yet the seal was intact so it had never been read. His eyes widened in astonishment as he took in the content.
Darling boy,
Today is your first day at school and if you're reading this it means that I can not be there with you. I hope you are feeling as excited as I did my first day, but less nervous. I nearly fell off the train I was so anxious!
Teddy remembered the expression on Andromeda's face when she had commented on his clumsiness and understood.
I wonder what house you'll be in. I'm secretly hoping you'll end up a Hufflepuff like me, though I know your father has already planned your career as a Gryffindor Quidditch player. Wherever you do end up though will be right for you.
You'll have a wonderful time at Hogwarts. Everyone does, it's the most fantastic place in the world. Avoid Filch and remember the passowrd to your common room and you wont go far wrong. I'd like you to know that your father and I fully expect you to find every secret passage in the Castle within your first week.
I wish I could see what you look like now; I hope you take after your father, though it's already clear you've inherited my metamorphmagus abilities. You are the most gorgeous baby. I can see you now in your cot; you have the funniest little round hands. I'm probably embarrassing you hugely by saying things like that.
I hope that one day when you're a little older you'll understand why I am doing what I'm doing and forgive me for not being there with you. I want to see you grow up more than anything, but if you're reading this I didn't get that chance.
I love you. I'm sorry. I did it for you.
Mum.
Green fields rushed passed the train window in a blur and Teddy gazed out at them with the feeling that in a small way his mother was here after all.
2- Second year
"Oh no oh no oh no!" Andromeda was gasping as she ran along the platform pushing a heavy trolley in front of her, her grandson trailing in her wake, "We are so late!"
"Grandma we've still got nearly ten minutes" Teddy panted as he ran along after her. Smack. He found himself crashing into an extremely solid object.
"Merde! Regardez ou vous allez!" yelled an irritated voice and Teddy found himself staring at a small girl about half a head shorter than him with waist length red hair and enormous blue eyes framed by unnaturally long eyelashes.
"sorry," Teddy muttered "I didn't see you,"
"Well look next time!" She gave her foot an imperious stamp. It was clear this was a girl used to getting her own way.
Teddy turned to see his grandmother a couple of metres away talking to a couple. The man was tall with red hair, broad shoulders and a heavily scarred face. The woman had long blonde hair and was really astonishingly beautiful.
"How was the move back from France?" he heard his grandmother say
"Stressful!" the man laughed "But worth it now the kids are old enough for school."
"Speaking of zee kids, where 'as she got to?" the woman said in a strong French accent. Then looked around calling "Victoire, Victoire, ou est tu?"
The girl wrinkled her nose called "J'arrive Maman" and hurried off towards the little group that included Teddy's grandmother with a toss of her hair. Feeling a little irritated he followed her. He had a feeling his grandmother was going to force this little brat on him as she clearly knew her parents.
"Teddy," his grandmother said kindly as he reached her "This is Bill and Fleur Weasley and their daughter Victoire. Bill is a brother in law of your godfather's. They just moved back from France where Fleur's family live. "
Bill looked at him with a curious expression on his face. "So you're Teddy are you? You look a lot like your mother."
The blonde woman, Fleur, smiled "You were zee most adorable baby" she said.
"You knew my parents?" Teddy asked, his chest a little tight suddenly, feeling oddly embarassed.
"Yes, very well. I miss them," Bill told him gently.
Before he could ask any more questions his grandmother looked at her watch, gave a gasp of horror and he found himself being swept onto the train in a wave of activity. He yelled goodbye to his grandmother-Don't go around with blue hair this year, please! - and heard Fleur gushing in French to her daughter. Fleur appeared to be crying.
Finally he collapsed into a seat with a sigh and Victoire sat down opposite letting out a sigh of relief, seeming suddenly more relaxed. The Train pulled huffing and panting out of the station. For a couple of minutes they sat staring at each other in silence, and then she did a most astonishing thing. She stuck her tongue out at him. His mouth fell open in surprise.
"You know you're quite unbelievably rude," He gasped torn between amusement and annoyance.
"I'm rude!" She protested "you bumped into me!"
"You swore at me. In French!"
She giggled, a delicious snorting giggle that somehow dissolved the perfect little princess impression he had formed of her. He joined in and then they were both laughing so hard they had to hold onto the seats to avoid falling off them. They lapsed into a comfortable quiet.
At last he said "You're Victoire, that's right isn't it."
She pursed her lips "Vic, it's Vic. No one calls me Victoire except strangers and my Mum. You're Teddy."
"Teddy Lupin, yeah."
"You're a second year? What house are you in?"
"Gryffindor."
Her face fell. She looked very glum all of a sudden.
"What's the matter?"
"It's just, I don't know what I'll do if I'm not in Gryffindor. I think Dad would disown me. What houses were your parents in?"
"Mum was a Hufflepuff, Dad was a Gryffindor."
"Your Dad must be proud you're in the same house as him.
"He's dead," said Teddy shortly.
Vic looked stricken "Oh, I'm so sorry."
"It's ok," he replied gently, "It was ages ago, and I was only a few months old."
Then he gave her a bright smile. "Don't worry about the sorting, you'll get put in the right house for you, and your parents won't care really, not even if you end up in Slytherin. Course I'd never speak to you…"
She gave him a grateful nod and a laugh, then said, blue eyes lighting up "Is it true there are giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest?"
"Uh huh, I've seen them."
"wow!" she said eyes very round.
When they got off the train at Hogsmeade both felt as if they had made a friend.
3- Sixth year
"Vic! Vic!"
Teddy called after the retreating figure about to disappear into the crowd, a slim-waisted with a swish to her walk. At last the red haired girl turned round, a smile lighting up her blue eyes.
"Teddy! There you are. God I haven't seen you for ages! I thought we were going to meet in Diagon Alley?"
"Yeah, sorry, Grandma dragged me off to Yorkshire. How was your Holiday?"
"Oh, you know, dull. Stuck in France for two months with Grandmere and Aunt Gabrielle, Nearly went mad."
The she grinned "I'm a prefect. Did you know?" She held out a shiny silver badge for him to inspect.
"Wow, Vic that's great, Congratulations."
A boy was coming towards them out of the smoke. He was tall with thick brown hair and clear grey eyes. When he saw Vic he put his arm round her in a decidedly proprietary manner. Vic turned pink as she greeted him. For some unknown reason Teddy felt his heart sink into his shoes.
"Hi Joe. Um Teddy this is Joe Wood, he's in Ravenclaw. He's a prefect too."
"Oh, right," Teddy said, wondering why he had a very strong desire to punch Joe Wood in mouth.
"Come one Vicky, We've got to go to the prefects compartment."
"Oh yeah sure. Um, I guess I'll see you at school?" she said, looking suddenly pained.
"I guess," Teddy replied stiffly.
Joe gave her elbow a little tug and she turned and walked away vanishing in a cloud of smoke from the train. He felt his hands ball into fists as a moment later the smoke cleared for a moment to reveal Joe and Vic, wrapped round each other.
"Oh mate, she's way out of your league". He turned to see Felix Edwards a boy in his year in Gryffindor who was also looking in Vic's direction.
"He called her Vicky".
It came out as a snarl.
4- September after Hogwarts.
"I can't imagine Hogwarts without you,"
"You'll manage, and I'll come up to Hogsmeade every time you have a weekend out."
"That's only once a term!"
"I'll write loads."
"Letters are crap."
"I'll miss you too Vic,"
They were standing in a corner of the platform out of the way of the crowd. He had his arms round her waist and she was resting her head on his shoulder.
"How much will you miss me?"
"I'll miss you more than Quidditch."
She laughed. "Really?"
"Nah, Quidditch every time."
He got a punch in the shoulder for that, but she laughed too.
"I love you Vic,"
He leaned in and kissed her pulling her closer. They stayed that way for a long time, smoke from the train surrounding them.
"Teddy! Teddy Lupin!"
A shrill shocked voice came from behind him. He and Vic jumped apart and turned to see James Potter staring at them, mouth hanging open.
"Hello James," Teddy said in exasperation.
"Victoire!" James gasped turning to his cousin.
"Yes James?" She replied with a sigh.
"You, you and Teddy, you were, you were SNOGGING!"
"Yes James. It's a relationship; sometimes that happens in a relationship."
"But you've finished Hogwarts, what are you doing here?" James said turning to Teddy in confusion.
"I'm seeing Vic off"
"Oh. Right,"
"Have a good term James." Teddy said
"I'll see you at school James," Vic added
"Oh and James," Teddy said
"GET LOST!" they chorused together.
James grinned with a good grace and turned tail and ran. The train whistle blew.
"I have to go," Vic said quietly. The moved towards the train arm in arm, she leant her head on his shoulder. She climbed onto the train and leant out of the window towards him
"Good luck with the job at Gringotts Teddy"
"Have a good term Vic,"
"I love you too Teddy"
She kissed him swiftly on the mouth. The train was moving, there was a loud drawn out whistle and a puff of smoke.
He ran after the train waving like a six year old calling "I love you I love you!" after the train, and Vic was laughing and crying and shouting it back and then she was gone.
He couldn't wait till Christmas.
THE END